Spotlight Website: Winning Writers

Today I want to detail a very helpful site for emerging or established writers.

Winning Writers is a site dedicated to finding and promoting contests that are free or nearly free. They even boast that they are “One of the Writer’s Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers.”  And rightly so.

Not only do they tell you the details of a multitude of contests, but they actually categorize them based on your experience in writing. You can also use their very advanced search tool to find exactly the right contest.

The details of each contest are outlined thoroughly.  You must read carefully because sometimes the contests have very specific requirements for genre, length, and even your age, race or place of residence. Some are based in the UK, but many are based in the U.S. 

Here are just a few of the contests with approaching deadlines that might interest you:

**Note: You do have to register to use the site before you can access contests. Once you are registered you'll have full access to the site and the ability to keep track of your favorite ones.**

Jane Lumley Prize for Emerging Writers (Poetry) Deadline Nov. 1

We Said Go Travel Writing Contest (Creative Non-fiction Travel   Writing) Deadline Nov. 26

Build Your Own Blog New Writer Contest (Poetry, Short Fiction, Creative Non-fiction) Deadline Nov. 29

They even offer their own contests, such as the Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest that has no fee and offers a great cash prize.

Be advised though, the competition is fierce.

You can always check out past winners for most of the contests to see that these writers are extremely good and very serious about winning. I would highly recommend you always read the previous award-winning pieces to see what topics and styles judges seem to prefer for each contest you plan to enter.

But, wait, there's more. 

In addition to offering a slew of contests,Winning Writers also offers a great variety of practical resources. Within their archives, they have articles to help you avoid scams or sales pitches masked as contests. These are very helpful and eye-opening.

Here are a few more articles and links from their site for your perusal:

“How to Find the Poetry Contest that is Best for You”

 “Preparing a Professional-Looking Manuscript”

Resources and Contests for Students and Educators

Markets and Contests for Writers

Advice for Writers

Scam-Busting

They also have links to literary forums and similar sites that connect writers of all ages and genres. Additionally, you can find information about the publishing world for your genre or recommended books that may help you improve your craft.

While Winning Writers promotes all genres of writing, they seem to have a special emphasis on helping poets. But the most of the contests, resources and articles are for writers of all levels and areas.

This site has a good thing going. So don’t miss it!

After you've checked out the site, let me know what you think. Or do you have another site you would recommend to writers? Make sure you comment below to share the knowledge!

5 Reasons Writers Need Each Other

One of my friends, Linnette Mullin, references a quote in her book Finding Beth that describes writers as “blue monkeys living in a brown monkey world.”  I don’t know about you, but that describes me.

We writers are unique creatures.  Many of us are introverts who prefer to be locked in a room with a computer or pen and paper for hours without interruption—we thrive on alone time.  In contrast to social butterflies, we draw our energy, not from socializing but from internalizing and thinking.  We have a lot to say, but not necessarily through our mouths.

 

But that doesn’t mean we should live as if on an island.

The first time I connected with other writers, joy rippled through me.  These people are just like me, I thought.

 

Now we get together regularly, but not for games or football.  We connect to share our writing and learn.  I’ll be the first to admit, we can be nerds.  Normal people don’t get excited over words, but we do.  Pass the coffee anyone?

Finding others who share my passion and understand my struggles and goals has relieved me of feeling isolated and continuously grows my gift .   Based on my experience, here are 5 reasons you need to find more writing buddies today.

Connections .  The more you know, the more places you’ll go.  Networking with other writers will open unexpected doors.  I found my first critique group through friends at a writing conference.  The more connections you have, the more opportunities you will find.

Growth.  My writer friends push me to be better and go farther.  We constantly learn from each other and grow as a result of constructive feedback.

Support.  I would venture to say that all writers struggle at times.  I haven’t met a writer yet (published or unpublished) who hasn’t admitted to struggling.  Many of us question ourselves and our abilities regularly.  When rejection comes knocking, we want to quit.  Surely we need each other for encouragement to push through those dark, daunting times.

Platform.  As writers, we help each other out when it comes to building a platform, or a fan base.  We read each others’ works, and we tell our friends in order to get the word out there.  We like and share each others’ posts and promote each other regularly.

Accountability.  If I know I’m meeting with my writing friends consistently, then I have to make sure I write something by certain dates.   Having a regular schedule keeps me on track with my goals.

    

Look around and take an inventory.  How many of your friends share your passion to write?  Do any of them help you revise and edit your writing?  Do they challenge you to write more and write better? 

I’m not advocating trading in your friends for new ones.  We all have friends that enhance different parts of our lives.  But if you don’t have many writing friends, it’s time to seek out some.  The best place to start is through critique groups (click here for suggestions on one of my previous posts), social media, and school. 

Trust me.  You need more writing friends.  Seeking out friends who share my passion to write was the best step I ever took as a writer.

How do you connect with other writers?  Start the conversation below!

Spotlight Website: Help for Writers

Occasionally I'm going to spotlight helpful websites for writers.  

It’s vitally important for writers to constantly find places to learn about their craft.  Good writers are constantly learning how to improve.  

This week on July 1st, a new website launched for writers called Almost An Author or A3.  

Today I’m going to give you the highlights of this brand new hit.

Need expert advice?

With about 30 authors, editors and writers who contribute columns to the website each month, there is a variety of talent, creativity, genre and experience.   Many of the contributors are award-winning writers who have been published several times.  Their books are listed on the site as well.

Also, there are ongoing articles each month spotlighting bestselling authors from around the nation and their advice for aspiring writers.  How valuable is that.

You can find help with just about every genre, including science fiction, romance, poetry, magazine articles, and children’s books.

Experienced writers also give you helpful advice on the craft of writing.  

Do you need help with characters?  They have information on that.  Do you want to create an extraordinary world and setting for your fiction?  They have that too.  And there are so many other topics they cover.

One column in particular for young writers is called "Dear Young Scribes."  Written by an author who published as a teenager, she offers advice to other teen writers who have hopes of being published.  Make sure you check that one out for sure.

Are you discouraged?  

Almost an Author offers several columns specifically devoted to supporting writers with encouragement.  

Writing can be very hard on a person.  Writers face battles unique to their passion and calling.  Many of those battles stem from feeling under confident in our ability and cause us to second-guess if we should even do it at all.  Sometimes it helps to read the encouraging words of others like us.We need coaches when we feel like quitting.  

Also, if you're in need of ideas, you'll find them here.  Lots of tips and tricks abound throughout the website.  You find help with editing, social media and blogging, using your time wisely and more. Several columnists also offer creative inspiration to writers and even useful things such as how to fend off writer's block and other diseases of writing.

Want to win an award?

The website even offers awards to emerging writers.  

The Blue Seal Awards focuses on internet writing, such as blog posts and articles for the web.  The contest closes September 1st.  

The Fresh Voices Writing Contest is a contest for writers of every genre.  This contest will open October 1st and close December 1st.  But don't wait.  Go ahead and start thinking about this one now.  

So what are you waiting for?

If you subscribe to the site you will get email updates.  That way you can feel connected.

And make sure you don't miss my own poetry column called "A Pinch of Poetry."  I'm honored to be included among so many great writers.  

Now, take a few minutes to tour Almost An Author, and then share some of your thoughts below.